World premiere of Ground Control: An Opera in Space performed live by the International Space Orchestra

Join the International Space Orchestra — an assembly of star-spangled space scientists from NASA Ames, Singularity University, International Space University and the SETI Institute — as they perform a unique drama of non-terrestrial communication and the techno-wonders of mission control rooms.

When:Thursday, September 13, 2012, 7pm

Where:ZERO1 Biennal Urban Screen300 S. 1st Street, San Jose, Calif.

Afterwards:Come and party with the International Space Orchestra! The concert is followed by the ZERO1 Biennial Opening Party, join the International Space Orchestra, artists and friends

In this tangential reality, your Flight Controller conducts arias and the Payload Officer works a baritone sax, while the Capsule Communicator is on the triangle. Merging science, technology, design and opera - Ground-Control: An Opera in Space aims to reach the final frontier!

The International Space Orchestra, directed and created by Nelly Ben Hayoun, is an experiential and hybrid research laboratory, where space scientists have been invited to implement, deconstruct, perform, sing, mix, modify, and design musical acts in a control room.

Followed by talks with leading scientists and hosted by International Space Orchestra's director Nelly Ben Hayoun:

Last month (August 2012) I was contacted by the folks at NASA Ames with a request to design a "mission patch" for the upcoming "Ground Control" space opera by the International Space Orchestra.

The performers include astronaut Yvonne Cagle.

The patches are not for sale, they ordered a small number for the Orchestra members alone.

The ISO patch features a "musical ISS" orbiting the Earth. Instead of scientific exploration, this ISS seeks to inspire, to promote cooperation with music. As with many mission patches, the launch site is indicated with an orbital trajectory. In this case it is NASA Ames in Mountain View, California. The orbital trajectory becomes sheet music. The shape of the patch is taken from Hangar 1, the most iconic building at Moffet Field.